Steve Streatch

I keep checking what’s left of Streatch’s hair for rave glitter, because if he isn’t dropping Ecstasy, I don’t how else to explain his recent transformation from a cranky bastard into everyone’s best friend. Back in the day, his shouting matches with other councillors---especially Dawn Sloane---were epic, and Streatch had nothing but contempt for bureaucrats. But nowadays Streatch gives speeches praising both Sloane and city staff, and is making nice with the other councillors, and even reporters. It’s kind of creepy.

For these report cards, Streatch has been a perennial failure---he’s only gotten Fs---so bumping him up to the heights of D Land is a victory for him. Rest assured it has nothing to do with his new Mr. Nice Guy routine.

Rather, Streatch is getting credit for his persistent opposition to the “tax reform” proposal, and for agreeing to the expansion of Metro Transit. Those weren’t particularly hard positions to take---“tax reform” would’ve raised, in some cases doubled, taxes in Streatch’s district, and while there has been a tiny bump in transit taxes, the district is mostly exempt from them.

But Streatch has a lot of anti-environmental baggage to overcome, and still can’t seem to grasp that the biggest thing he can do for rural HRM is to get the city to adopt a local food policy. If he can make headway there, maybe he’ll one day get a C.